Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply for a change of major to Mays Business School, you must:

• Be admitted as a freshman at Texas A&M University.
• Have completed at least 27 credit hours at Texas A&M.
• Have no more than 60 completed credit hours (this includes all college-level coursework after high school, but excludes AP, IB, or dual credit earned in high school).

GPA Requirements:

For admission into either the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSB) programs, you must:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Have a 3.5 GPA or higher in your qualifying coursework (see below).

Approved Qualifying Coursework:

You must complete the four Required Qualifying Coursework courses to be considered as a Change of Major candidate. You may complete their equivalents instead, but please refer to the Additional Information section below for further instruction.

If you complete courses from the Optional Qualifying Courses list, all grades will be considered when calculating your Qualifying Coursework GPA. If a course has been attempted more than once, the highest grade will be used when calculating your Qualifying Coursework GPA.

Required Qualifying Courses

• MATH 140* Business Mathematics I (or MATH 148#, 152* #, 168 or 172#)
• MATH 142* Business Mathematics II – Calculus (also MATH 147#, 151* # or 171#)
• ECON 202* Principles of Economics – Microeconomics
• ECON 203* Principles of Economics – Macroeconomics

*Credit by exam is accepted, but no grade is awarded.

Optional Qualifying Courses

• ACCT 229 Introductory Accounting – Financial
• ACCT 230 Introductory Accounting – Managerial
• BUSN 203 Statistical Methods for Business
• ISTM 210 Fundamentals of Information Systems
• ENGL/COMM Select from ENGL 103, 104, 203, 210, COMM 203, 205, or 243

Additional Information:

• If two or more of the four Required Qualifying Courses were completed outside of Texas A&M, you must submit a waiver as part of your application.
• All grades earned in qualifying courses will be included in your Qualifying Coursework GPA.
• If you Q-drop or withdraw from any qualifying course, your Change of Major application must include a waiver explaining the decision to Q-drop or withdraw.

Request a Waiver to the Requirements:
If you do not meet the minimum requirements, you may request a waiver to still be considered for admission. However, waivers do not guarantee admission.

Request a waiver if any of the following apply to you:

• You do not meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
• Two or more of your Required Qualifying Courses were taken outside of Texas A&M.
• You Q-dropped or withdrew from a qualifying course.
• You Q-dropped or withdrew from any Texas A&M course.

To request a waiver:

• Select the “I don’t meet requirements” box when completing your Change of Major Request in Howdy.
• Complete the essay explaining:
  • Why you are requesting a waiver,
  • How your desired major is the best fit for your personal and professional goals,
  • Any extenuating circumstances which have prevented you from meeting the minimum requirements,
  • Any other relevant information for the review committee.

Eligibility:

To be eligible to apply for a change of major to Mays Business School, you must:

• Be admitted as a freshman at Texas A&M University.
• Have completed at least 30 credit hours at Texas A&M.
• Have no more than 60 completed credit hours (this includes all college-level coursework after high school, but excludes AP, IB, or dual credit earned in high school).

GPA Requirements:

For admission into the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), you must:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Have a 3.5 GPA or higher in your qualifying coursework (see below).

For admission into the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSB), you must:

• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
• Have a 3.25 GPA or higher in your qualifying coursework (see below).

Approved Qualifying Coursework:

You must complete at least 4 of the following courses to be considered as a Change of Major candidate. Two of your 4 courses must be MATH 140 and 142 or their equivalents.

If you complete more than 4 of the following courses, all grades will be considered when calculating your Qualifying Coursework GPA. If a course has been attempted more than once, the highest grade will be used when calculating your Qualifying Coursework GPA.

Qualifying Courses

• MATH 140* Business Mathematics I (or MATH 148#, 152* #, 168 or 172#)
• MATH 142* Business Mathematics II – Calculus (also MATH 147#, 151* # or 171#)
• ECON 202* Principles of Economics – Microeconomics
• ECON 203* Principles of Economics – Macroeconomics
• ACCT 229 Introductory Accounting – Financial
• ACCT 230 Introductory Accounting – Managerial
• BUSN 203 Statistical Methods for Business
• ISTM 210 Fundamentals of Information Systems
• ENGL/COMM* Select from ENGL 103, 104, 203, 210, COMM 203, 205, or 243

* Credit by exam is accepted, but no grade is awarded.

Request a Waiver to the Requirements:

If you do not meet the minimum requirements, you may request a waiver to still be considered for admission. However, waivers do not guarantee admission.

To request a waiver:

• Select the “I don’t meet requirements” box when completing your Change of Major Request in Howdy.
• Complete the essay explaining:
  • Why you are requesting a waiver,
  • How your desired major is the best fit for your personal and professional goals,
  • Any extenuating circumstances which have prevented you from meeting the minimum requirements,
  • Any other relevant information for the review committee.

TEAM Students:  A TEAM Pathway Agreement exists for these majors

• PATHWAY AGREEMENT FOR BUSINESS (STUDENTS ENTERING TEAM IN 2024)
• PATHWAY AGREEMENT FOR BUSINESS (STUDENTS ENTERING TEAM IN 2025)
•  PATHWAY AGREEMENT FOR BUSINESS (STUDENTS ENTERING TEAM IN 2026)

Change of Major FAQs

Exploring Your Options

Q: I’m a current student at Texas A&M College Station/Galveston/McAllen and I want to become a business student at Mays. How do I apply?

A: You will need to meet our On-Campus Change of Major requirements, which vary depending on when you enrolled at Texas A&M. Transition Academic Programs (TAP) can provide personalized guidance throughout the application process.

Once you meet with a TAP advisor and are ready to apply, you may submit a change of major request through the Howdy portal.

Q: I transferred to Texas A&M from another institution. Can I apply to Mays through the On-Campus Change of Major process?

A: Transfer students who were admitted into Texas A&M under a non-business major are generally not eligible to change their major into Mays. Prospective transfer applicants are instructed to not accept admission to a non-business major with the expectation of later requesting a change of major to Mays.

The Transfer Admission process follows a separate set of requirements that are vastly different and much more competitive compared to our On-Campus Change of Major process. Moreover, eligible students must have been admitted into Texas A&M as a first-time freshman. 

On rare occasions, transfer applicants will be considered by waiver only. Applying with a waiver does not guarantee admission.

Q: I’m an incoming freshman and was not accepted into Mays. Can I change my major before my New Student Conference (NSC)?

A: Students who were not admitted into Mays will need to pursue the On-Campus Change of Major process.

Students are encouraged to attend their NSC as planned and connect with Transition Academic Programs (TAP) once their first semester at TAMU begins to discuss eligibility requirements.

Q: Can I meet with a Mays advisor to talk about changing my major to business?

A: Mays Undergraduate Advisors are unable to provide academic advice to non-business students. It is strongly recommended that students meet with Transition Academic Programs (TAP). TAP advisors can walk you through your options, discuss other majors, and help you register for courses to get you on the Map to Mays. Virtual advising is available for students at Texas A&M Galveston and Texas A&M McAllen as well.

If you have clarifying questions after meeting with TAP, you may visit the Mays Undergraduate Advising Office located in Wehner 238 on Monday mornings from 8:30-11:30 AM or Thursday afternoons from 1:30-4:30 PM.

Applying to Mays

Q: What is the difference between the BBA and BSB degrees at Mays?

A: The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) are both business degrees offered at Mays Business School.

BBA degrees include a specific business major (such as Finance or Marketing), allowing students to take more advanced, specialized coursework in that area.

The BSB degree includes foundational business coursework similar to the BBA degrees, but students do not complete a traditional business major. Instead, students complete an “Area of Focus,” which is 12–18 credit hours of electives in a related field, often through a minor, certificate, or approved course set.

Q: What code should I select when submitting my application through the Change of Major portal on Howdy?

A: Students should select one of the following options based on Big 5 completion status.*

If you are not Big 5 complete, select our Lower-Level major:

• BA – Business Administration (BAC)

If you are Big 5 complete, select your intended Upper-Level major:

• BA – Accounting (BBA)
• BA – Finance (BBA)
• BA – Marketing (BBA)
• BA – Management (BBA)
• BA – Management Information Systems (BBA)
• BA – Supply Chain Management (BBA)
• BA – Business (BS)

*Big 5 coursework includes: MATH 140, MATH 142, ECON 202, ECON 203, and ACCT 229.

Q: I’m currently taking one of the Required Qualifying Courses. Can I submit an application while taking a qualifying course?

A: Yes, students may apply while enrolled in a qualifying course if the course will be completed within the current application cycle. When submitting the application, you can use the waiver box to request that your application be held for review until final grades are posted. Be sure to include the qualifying course that you are taking and its anticipated end date in your waiver request.

Visit the TAP website to view Change of Major application cycle dates.

Q: Can my AP, IB, or dual credit coursework count toward changing my major?

A: Yes. If you’ve taken some of our qualifying courses, including MATH 140 and MATH 142, at a community college or earned credit for these courses from an AP/IB exam, these qualifying courses are considered complete. The grade you earned in your dual credit course is calculated in your Qualifying Coursework GPA. No grade points are earned through AP/IB credit.

Q: Will my AP, IB, or dual credit coursework count towards the 60-hour limit for eligibility?

A: Credits completed during high school and before you became a college student are deducted from the total number of completed credit hours when reviewing your application.

Q: Do I need to take BUSN 101 before or after I apply to change my major to business?

A: No, change of major students do not take BUSN 101.

Q: I submitted my application. When will I hear back?

A: If all qualifying coursework, GPAs, and hour requirements are met, decisions are typically sent within 2-3 weeks of submission.

Students who are deficient in one or more requirements are considered waiver applicants and must undergo additional review by a waiver committee. As a result, waiver applicant decision timelines may vary.

Q: Registration for next semester has opened, but I haven’t received a decision. What classes should I take?

A: Students should meet with Transition Academic Programs (TAP) to discuss schedule recommendations and backup academic plans.

If a student is admitted to Mays, a Mays Undergraduate Advisor will follow up with next steps and assist with any necessary schedule adjustments.

Q: If I am accepted into Mays through the On-Campus Change of Major process, can I apply to Business Honors?

A: Business Honors only admits students as incoming freshmen or through a one-time application in January of their freshman year. Students who have a 3.7 GPA or higher after their first semester and are undergoing the On-Campus Change of Major process for Mays are eligible to apply.

Current Mays Students

Q: I’m a current Mays student, but I want to change to a different major within Mays. What do I need to do?

A: You should meet with a Mays Undergraduate Advisor. You can schedule an appointment through Navigate. You do NOT need to meet the on-campus change of major requirements, nor should you apply through the change of major portal on Howdy.

Q: I’m a current Mays student, but I want to change to a major outside of Mays Business School. What do I need to do?

A: You will need to meet the on-campus change of major requirements for the major you are seeking. You can find these requirements on the Transition Academic Programs (TAP) website. Because every college/department has different processes, students are strongly encouraged to meet with a TAP advisor to discuss the requirements for their desired major.

Important Note: If you do change your major, you will only be eligible to return to Mays Business School if you meet our On-Campus Change of Major requirements.